Archaeology and World Prehistory - Anthropology

Department of AnthropologyAnthropology 2100 – 001Introduction to Archaeology and World PrehistoryCourse OutlineFall-Winter 2013-14Classes: Mondays 7:00-10:00 pm, SSC 3018Instructor: Peter Timmins T.A.: Lara Wood T.A.: Kyle ForsytheOffice: SSC 3213 Office: SSC 3306 Office: SSC 3301Email: ptimmins@uwo.ca Email: lwood48@uwo.ca Email: kforsyt2@uwo.caOffice Hours: M/W 5-6 pm Office Hours: T/Th 11-12 am Office Hours: T/W 10-11 amPhone: 661-2111, ext. 85097Course Description:This course provides an introduction to the discipline of archaeology and an overview ofworld prehistory. The course is divided into four segments. The first provides an introduction to thehistory, method, and theory of archaeology. The second part traces human evolution and thedevelopment of hunter-gatherer societies up to modern times. The third segment focuses on thedevelopment of farming societies around the world, and the fourth part covers the rise of complexsocieties in the Old World (Mesopotamia, Egypt, South and East Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe)and the New World (North America, Mesoamerica and the Andean region of South America). Thecourse concludes with a brief discussion of historical archaeology, the current state of archaeologyand the future of the discipline.Textbook:Chazan, Michael2011 World Prehistory and Archaeology: Pathways through Time (2 ndCanadian Edition). Pearson Education, Boston.Additional Readings:A small number of additional readings may be required, primarily during the Winter term.These will be announced in class in advance of the date that they are discussed and will beaccessible through the course OWL page.Prerequisite:NoneStudent Evaluation:Assignment 1 (Available on OWL Sept. 30 th ; due in class Oct. 21 st ) 10%Assignment 2 (Available on OWL Oct 28 th ; due in class Nov. 18 th ) 10%Mid-Year Exam (during the December exam period) 25%Assignment 3 (Available Dec. 2 nd ; due in class Jan. 20 th , 2014) 10%Assignment 4 (Available Feb 24 th ; due in class March 17 th , 2014) 10%Participation (based on attendance for class discussions) 10%Final Exam (during the April exam period) 25%Page 1 of 5

Assignments:The assignments are relatively brief written exercises that review specific sections of thecourse material. They are not essays. Each assignment is expected to be approximately 1200-1500words in length. Assignments are to be handed in at the beginning of class on their due dates. Theyare to be submitted in hard copy with a backup electronic copy submitted through OWL.Assignment 1 will be a short exercise in archaeological method and theory based on the firstthree lectures. Assignment 2 deals with the development of stone tool technology during thePaleolithic period. Assignment 3 concerns technological and socio-political changes associated withthe development of agriculture. Assignment 4 involves a comparison of major features of two ancientOld World civilizations.Late Policy: There will be a 2% reduction of the assignment grade for each day that anassignment is late (including weekends and holidays). Assignments that are not handed in withinthree weeks of the due date may receive a grade of zero.ExamsExams will be based on material covered in lectures, in the assigned readings, and inPowerPoint presentations and videos presented during the course. Exams will consist of acombination of multiple choice and short answer questions. The December exam will cover the firstterm and the April exam will cover the second term. The final exam is not cumulative.OWLOWL (powered by Sakai) is Western’s online course management program. The course OWLwebpage will be used to communicate with the class. Students are advised to check the OWL pagefor announcements and important course materials. PowerPoint presentations used in lectures will bemade available online through OWL after each lecture. The course syllabus and assignments will alsobe available through OWL. In addition to submitting a hard copy of assignments in class, students willbe expected to submit electronic copies of assignments through OWL prior to the assignment duedate. While marked hard copies of assignments will be returned to students, assignment grades willalso be posted in the markbook on the course OWL site. Mid-term exam marks, final exam marks andfinal course grades will also be posted in the OWL markbook.ParticipationParticipation marks will be based on attendance in class for discussion questions on currentissues in archaeology or activities such as identifying early human fossils and their specificcharacteristics, identifying artifacts, archaeological sites, monumental structures, etc. Thesediscussions and activities will take place after the relevant topics have been discussed in class,however, they will not follow a set schedule and may occur at any time during lectures.Academic OffensesAcademic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriatepolicy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site:http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholoff.pdf.Plagiarism: Students must write their assignment in their own words. Whenever students takeand idea, or a passage from another author, they must acknowledge the source using properreferencing. Follow the referencing style used in the course text. Plagiarism is a major academicoffence (see the definition of a Scholastic Offence at the Web address noted above).Page 2 of 5

Statement on the Use of Electronic Devices:As a matter of courtesy, please mute phones during lectures. Laptops and tablets may beused for note-taking and when the instructor makes use of online resources during class. If you wishto record lectures, please seek permission from the instructor.No electronic devices (including but not limited to laptop computers, cell phones, tablets,etc…) will be allowed during examinations, unless expressly authorized by the instructor.Missed Mid-Year Exams:If, for medical or non-medical reasons, you are unable to write the Mid-Year exam you mustcontact the Instructor, preferably prior to the scheduled date of the exam. You should be prepared toprovide documentation supporting the reason for the missed exam. In the case of exams missed formedical reasons, refer to the UWO Medical Accommodation Policy found at:http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/accommodation_medical.pdf.Missed Final Exams:If, for medical or non-medical reasons you are unable to write the final exam, you will requirethe permission of the Dean of your home faculty, the Instructor, and the Chair of the Department ofAnthropology to write a special final exam. You must contact the Academic Counseling Office torequest permission to write a special exam and obtain the necessary form. The student must ensurethat the form is signed by the Instructor and the Department Chair before it is returned to theappropriate Academic Counseling Office in the student’s faculty. In the case of exams missed formedical reasons, the provisions of the UWO Medical Accommodation Policy apply:http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/accommodation_medical.pdf.Support Services and AccessibilityStudent Development Services offers a variety of academic, personal, and career-relatedservices to assist students. The Student Development Centre is located in Room 4100 of the StudentServices Building and their web site is: http://www.sds.uwo.ca/. Please contact the course instructor ifyou require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make thiscourse more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities(SSD) at 661-2111, x 82147 for any specific question.Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Westernhttp://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.The web site for the Office of the Registrar is: http://www.registrar.uwo.ca/.Lecture Schedule (tentative):Sept. 9Sept. 16Sept. 23Lecture 1: Introduction and History of ArchaeologyReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology,Part One: Introduction, p. 1-5 and all of Chapter 2Lecture 2: More History of ArchaeologyProcedures of Archaeology IReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 1.Lecture 3: Procedures of Archaeology IIReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 1 and Appendix D.Page 3 of 5

Sept. 30Oct. 7Oct. 14Oct. 21Oct. 28Nov. 4Nov. 11Nov. 18Nov. 25Dec. 2Lecture 4: Human OriginsReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Part Two: Introduction, p. 54-61, Chapter 3, p. 62-69 and Appendix C.Assignment 1 available on OWLLecture 5: From Early Homo to Homo erectus/Homo ergasterReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 3, p. 69 – 89,Chapter 4, p. 90 – 100.Thanksgiving HolidayLecture 6: The Neanderthals and the Origin of Modern HumansReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 4, p. 100-119,Chapter 5, p. 120-136.Assignment 1 due in classLecture 7: The Upper PaleolithicReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 5, p. 136-148Assignment 2 available on OWLLecture 8: Lecture 7: The Peopling of Australia and the New WorldReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 6, p. 150-174Lecture 9: Hunter-Gatherers in the New WorldReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 6, p. 174-181,Lecture 10: The Origins of Food Production and Early Food Production inthe Near East and EuropeReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Part Three: Perspectives onAgriculture, p. 182-191 and Chapter 7.Assignment 2 due in classLecture 11: Farming Societies in the AmericasReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 8 and Chapter 9,Section 9.3.Lecture 12: Early Farmers in Africa, East Asia and the PacificReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 9Assignment 3 available on OWLDecember Exam Period MID-YEAR EXAMWinter Term (tentative):Jan. 6Jan. 13Lecture 13: The Development of Social and Political ComplexityReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Part Four: Introduction, p.264-271.Lecture 14: The Rise of the State in MesopotamiaReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 11, Intro and Section11.1.Page 4 of 5

Jan. 20Jan. 27Feb. 3Feb. 10Feb. 17Feb. 24March 3March 10March 17March 24March 31April 1April 7Exam PeriodLecture 15: Ancient Egypt and Sub-Saharan AfricaReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 11, Section 11.2 and11.3 and Chapter 10, Section 10.5.Assignment 3 due in classLecture 16: The Development of Complex Societies in the Indus ValleyReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 12, Section 12.2Lecture 17: The Development of Complex Societies in Southeast Asia andChinaReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 12, Intro and Section12.3.Lecture 18: Minoan and Mycenaean Civilization and the Development ofComplexity in EuropeReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 12, Section 12.1 andChapter 10, Intro and Section 10.2No Class (Reading Week)Lecture 19: Complex Societies in North AmericaReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 10, Section 10.1 andSection 10.3Assignment 4 available on OWLLecture 20: The Development of Complex Societies in MesoamericaReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 13, Intro and Section13.1 and 13.2Lecture 21: The Maya and the Aztec EmpireReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 13, Sections 13.3and 13.4Lecture 22: The Development of Complex Societies in Andean SouthAmerica and the Inca EmpireReadings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Chapter 14.Assignment 4 due in classLecture 23: The Archaeology of European Contact IReadings: to be announcedLecture 24: The Archaeology of European Contact IILecture 25: Contemporary Issues and the Future of Archaeology,Readings: World Prehistory and Archaeology, Epilogue, p. 416-421.Lecture 26: Catch Up and ReviewFINAL EXAM (covers second half of course)Page 5 of 5